Coworking spaces are adapting new decorating and furnishing strategies to create cocooning environments for businesses.
How can coworking spaces help?
The coworking model has undeniably been shaken up by the pandemic, and there’s now a real appeal for businesses large and small. Brian Armstrong, CEO of Coinbase, describes his new approach as “one floor in ten cities versus ten floors in one”. Enter the new and improved coworking spaces: the ideal solution for businesses that need multiple locations with flexible layouts. Coworking can thrive again as companies are forced to restructure and rework their finances.
WeWork, one of the global market leaders in coworking spaces, has adapted its strategy in several ways, responding to the pandemic and anticipated aftershocks. With over 100 sites in New York City alone, WeWork offers a range of locations for a dispersed workforce. The company recently added software to help HR departments map their locations, reducing the risk of transmission during an employee commute.
Coworking spaces are also re-evaluating their floor plans. After the last recession, companies spent millions of dollars to cram as many people as possible into offices. Today, it’s quite the opposite. “Every floor plan configuration needs to be adjusted for distance and security,” said Kate North, vice president of workplace strategy at Colliers International.
What critical security measures should coworking spaces implement?
Cushman & Wakefield has introduced the ” 6-foot office ” concept, helping its customers to create safe spaces. The concept includes elements such as new and improved rules of conduct, a single flow for each office, adapted workstations and optimized shared facilities. Using technology to reorganize your workspace is a no-brainer: think automatic doors, hands-free registration and intelligent lighting.
It’s time to redecorate, to make spaces more contemporary. Give them an experience that employees don’t have at home! So decor, original signage, intelligence, meeting rooms, gaming areas, roof tops and, of course, foolproof security… are now fundamental.
A recent HubbleHQ survey revealed that increased hygiene measures would be essential to make employees feel comfortable in these spaces again. The introduction of detailed cleaning protocols with daily anti-viral spraying emerged as the most popular measure among respondents.
Right behind the cleaning spray, there was mandatory hand washing, masks and disinfectants readily available.
In the past, cleaning was something that happened in the background, mainly when people weren’t occupying the space. Today, visible cleaning is a necessity if employees are to feel comfortable in a shared space.
Landlords and developers across the country are facing rising vacancy rates and falling asking rents as companies try to discern their approach to office work post-pandemic. With vacancy rates hovering around 12% pre-pandemic and now stable at 16%, competition for tenants continues to steadily increase. Repositioning projects in key markets hope to attract new tenants with amenities such as outdoor workspaces, rooftop terraces, fitness centers, conference/training centers, event spaces and now co-working environments.
The mix of traditional office building programs will no longer be two-tiered and based solely on tenant space and amenities. Flexible suites, specific suites and coworking spaces will be continually added to the mix in an attempt to offset the negative impacts of the pandemic and create a secondary customer base. How important will coworking be in office design and beyond? In a recent CBRE study, 86% of respondents considered flexible office space to be a key element of their future real estate strategies.